Somali military court hears case against two Ethiopians accused of al-Shabab ties
Security officials said the pair were detained in Baidoa, the capital of Bay region, during a planned operation carried out by Somali intelligence forces.
Monday June 1, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Military Court on Sunday opened proceedings in a case involving two Ethiopian nationals accused of ties to al-Shabab, prosecutors said.
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Military prosecutors named the defendants as Hamza Ibrahim Ali, also known as Abuu Irshad, and Nasri Abdirahman Ali, also known as Abuu Safiya. Both men are from Harar, Ethiopia, and are fluent in Somali, according to prosecutors.
Security officials said the pair were detained in Baidoa, the capital of Bay region, during a planned operation carried out by Somali intelligence forces.
Prosecutors told the court the charges center on alleged involvement in hostilities, training, and the circumstances surrounding the men’s entry into Somalia.
The prosecution urged the court to hand down what it called an appropriate sentence, saying the case should stand as a warning to anyone considering joining al-Shabab.
A defense lawyer dismissed the accusations as grave but unsubstantiated and asked the court to return the two men to Ethiopia so they could rejoin their families.
The Military Court said it was weighing the arguments presented by both sides and would deliver its verdict after reviewing the case in full.
Al-Shabab, the al-Qaida-linked militant group, continues to recruit fighters and launch attacks across Somalia despite sustained military pressure from Somali forces and international partners.
